The invention relates generally to semiconductor devices and systems using such devices, particularly to improving effectiveness of burn-in stress testing thereof.
As part of semiconductor device manufacture, devices are subjected to burn-in (BI) stress to induce failure that would otherwise occur within a relatively short time period after an end user started operating the device. A typical BI stress test can use package connectors of a device under test (DUT) to apply power at higher voltage and/or current than those for which the DUT was designed, which can also elevate DUT temperature. As a result of the high voltage, current, power, and/or temperature, electromigration-related and other defects can occur in a matter of hours as opposed to days or longer during normal operation, avoiding shipping of a device that would likely have failed prematurely in the field. However, typical BI tests can create higher current densities than portions of the DUT should experience, particularly in the case of controlled collapsed chip connectors (C4s), which can create new defects, such as due to electromigration.